Orion
by Cassidy Herrera
Summary: Will knows Souji's predicament. They are friends. But they don't trust each other, and yet Will still wanted to believe in him even when he doesn't do the same thing to himself. And for some reason, she feels as if she can't be close to Souji, let alone even closer than Kondou and Souji will ever be.


**A/N: Quick story. As much as I recently adored the Souji x Will pairing, I figured that Souji's dark view towards life was what affected me the most.**

**Some knowledge about W.I.T.C.H. and Hakuouki are required to read this. I apologize.**

The stars looked beautiful tonight. It was cliché to put it that way, although she didn't recall a time when she was able to appreciate celestial wonders like this. But she was not focused on the sky as a whole. Her eyes were transfixed on a certain group of stars that were quite close to each other, as if they attempted to create something out of their closeness—like a specific shape, perhaps, although that wasn't the point of it all.

Those said stars remind her of her relationship with Souji Okita. It was strange then, because she didn't even have a 'relationship' with him per se. They are actually friends. Perhaps. And it's not that she disliked him at all, though she could confidently say that she didn't trust him and his Shinsengumi pals. And to think she is not fond of History all that much.

The world in which she is currently in is—well—part of history. It's ancient Kyoto. She doesn't understand Japan, let alone its ultimate culture, even since time immemorial. And she's being a bad girl for simply thinking that she can take advantage of her powers over swords and whatnot.

Not that she cared at the moment. Once her mission here was done, she could move on with her friends as she pleased. There was just something—or someone—that bothered her, even to the point of irritation. Souji Okita.

He acted as if they were _best_ friends—not only to her, actually, but even to her entire W.I.T.C.H. group, like they have known for years. If he was always this straightforward, there was nothing wrong with that. What annoyed her was that she wasn't fooled at the very least by someone like him. He smiled a lot. He was bubbly. But was he really that kind of person?

She didn't trust him. Neither did he trust her. Well, actually, it's not like they trusted each other. And perhaps he knew that it was a mutual distrust—yet they continued acting. Like the stars above. From afar, they're close. But in reality, they are so much far apart.

And from afar, they shine so bright. But in all honesty, those stars above are dead. Just like his soul.

Matt Olsen was the perfect man. Could even be a perfect prince. Souji Okita was the direct opposite. He isn't perfect. He isn't a prince.

He's broken.

She doesn't even know why she is the only one—out of all her friends—who can detect this brokenness. It's probably because—he willingly showed his messed-up self through the hopelessness of his eyes and the fakery of his smile. Only to her.

Like right now.

"Will-san!" he called out, with one arm stretched high up in a small wave, and provokingly prolonged that name for five agonizing seconds.

Will widened her eyes for a moment and realized she watched the sky for too long, and she glanced to her right only to see his all-familiar grin.

"Uh… hey…" she greeted awkwardly with one eyebrow raised in pure shock—shock that he just came by out of nowhere.

"Dinner's ready, so let's get inside," he said. Will returned his usual facial expression with a simple smile of her own, albeit in an awkward way. She wasn't really good with people she didn't know so well. The redhead rubbed the back of her hair.

"Haha… sorry, I am not all that hungry, though. Will it be all right if you ate without me?" she responded. Souji was immediately taken aback by this simple refusal.

"Eh? Is something wrong?"

Will waved her hands frantically. "Ah, no… no… just thinking about some things."

Souji looked at her for a while. His face grew serious—and then he narrowed his eyes. "I see."

They both paused.

Suddenly, he yelled behind him, "Kondou-san! Sorry, but Will-san and I are going to take a walk!"

What the hell?

"H-hey…!" she exclaimed instantly, but then Souji grabbed her wrist and went ahead. "Nevermind, let's just go," he protested in a pretty relaxed manner, as if he was going to the mall.

Will didn't catch up with the responses of their friends, given that she was pulled away swiftly without a second thought. Out of sight, out of earshot. They were alone.

Something told her to go with the flow, and so she willingly did, although she had to admit the walk was awkward. The night was silent and there was no one around. At a time like this, people who go alone at night are usually prone to certain dangers, yet she felt somewhat fortunate today that no one was out to get them at the moment—at least for the time being.

For a long while, she didn't understand why they had to walk together. And the fact that they were alone—even close to each other—was scary. It just was. Even his face turned out to be in a state wherein he had to entertain a long train of thoughts that only he could ever understand.

She was the Keeper of the Heart. At the same time, she has a heart. Something was wrong with him. She can tell. Perhaps—whatever was bothering him—she really wanted to help. Was this right?

"Will-san?" he suddenly said. His smile returned.

She blinked. She stared at him the whole time.

"Whatever you want to say, just say it," he added.

She still floated. "H-huh?"

Souji's eyes widened a little in amusement, and then he let out a chuckle. "Hey, hey. You have been like this for a while."

"A-ah… yeah… sorry…"

There was a small pause. His smile disappeared as he added, "Not only for a while. But everytime you're with me."

Self-control. That was all it took to keep herself from gasping.

"Why?"

Will couldn't answer. She just stared at him. After a short while, she honestly stated, "You're close with Kondou, right? I mean you act like buddies. I think that's remarkable."

Souji blinked at the sudden switch of topics. "Hm. Yeah."

She raised her two index fingers and brought them close together. "Like this close."

There was a glint of disbelief in his eyes. "Yeah. So?"

"… But you aren't. Right?" Her voice was soft. Souji slowly glanced back straight ahead with a small smile. "Hmmm. You're good…"

As a gust of breeze swept by, he continued, "I just can't be like Kondou-san. It makes me feel so worthless, but I have no choice." From the way the words were phrased, they sounded nihilistic at best, yet he made them sound like he just came back from a movie as he placed his arms behind his head.

"And I'll still fight for him, Will-san."

Her brown eyes were glued on him. "Yeah. I see that."

He laughed. "Do you find me pitiful?"

Those words struck her as if by thunder. Again, she couldn't answer. She was always this silent around him. As if she couldn't be honest. Then again, he was being dishonest to everyone else—even to Kondou—in the first place.

"As I… thought…" he trailed off, his small smile bitter as ever, and he slowly glanced at the ground. He figured he was lower than dirt.

"Hey, Will-san…"

"Yeah?"

"I thought… you were different."

"…"

"Your name. Will. The _will_ to believe in me like Kondou-san does. It doesn't exist in you, does it? Maybe you are just the same as everyone else. You believe I am a pitiful creature. Even until now."

His voice was so serious. Yet she didn't protest. She didn't protest. Because it was true. She pitied him.

"I guess I'm glad," he said. "I am not worth it, anyway—that's why…" He lightly pressed his knuckles on Will's forehead. "… don't put up a sad face like that again, okay?"

His cheerful smile returned then. She was still silent. But there were so many things she wanted to say, although she was too late. Slowly—inevitably—he walked away into the darkness of the night.

And as she watched his figure shrink into the distance, she looked back up into the sky—at the same stars that were quite close to one another—yet far apart in reality. She knew that Souji will never be entirely honest with her even when they talked more often.

Because he was broken. Yet, for a man so broken, he looked as if he tried so hard.

He managed on his own until now. She didn't exactly know why she was worried about him in the first place. It was not like they trusted each other.

It was not like they loved each other.

It was not like she loved him.

Right?


End file.
